


just a lovesick poet

by Smalls



Series: a tale of a love from long ago [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hadestown Fusion, Light Angst, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27422467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smalls/pseuds/Smalls
Summary: “Interesting. Tell me, poet, have you ever fallen in love with someone different from you? Someone who, in many ways, is your opposite?”Roman sees Virgil so clearly in his mind, holding Roman close yet watching the coming clouds with tension in his body. He looks away, unable to hold the god’s gaze. He hears the god laugh lightly.“You men are not so different from the gods. Falling in love with those who can never love you back.”***in which Roman isn't as clueless or as confident as people may assume.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: a tale of a love from long ago [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884454
Comments: 13
Kudos: 50





	just a lovesick poet

Roman strums his lyre and watches the clouds. He knows Thomas and Virgil both think he is a fool, mind so lost in a melody that he doesn’t see the world as it is. But Roman is not a fool. He can see the world they live in now. But he doesn’t understand how anyone can look at the world they live in and not dream about how the world _could_ be.

But Roman does see how the world is now, and as the clouds darken so does his mood. He sees Virgil watching the sky with worry in his eyes, and each time something in his chest constricts painfully. Virgil may have said he wants to stay, but Roman knows past patterns are hard to kick. Especially when those patterns have kept you alive. And Roman knows he’s a poor boy with little more than a song, a dream, and a paper flower to offer Virgil.

And, as much as Roman hates to admit it, he knows that he doesn’t know if his song will truly bring the world back into tune. After all, Orpheus himself tried once and failed. Why should he do any better the second time around? Though, he had once created that flower for Virgil, and it looks so lovely tucked behind his ear. But Roman can’t make any more. None of the little melodies he preforms at the bar bring forth any such life, and Roman fears no matter how loudly he sings or how beautifully he plays, Persephone will return home and the storm will come.

Roman looks down at the lyre in his hands and briefly considers smashing it to pieces. Then doesn’t, because he loves his lyre and even at his lowest point Roman could never harm anything he cherished. So he sings instead.

“King Hades is deafened by a river of stone/ And Lady Persephone’s blinded by a river of wine/ Livin’ in an oblivion/ His black gold flows/ In the world down below/ And her dark clouds roll up above/ And that is the reason we're on this road/ And the seasons are wrong/ And the wind is so strong/ That’s why times are so hard/It's because of the gods/ The gods have forgotten the song of their love.”

“And what, exactly do you know about love?”

Roman almost drops his lyre in surprise. He jerks his head up to see a strange man standing before him in all black. No, not a man. A god. He bows his head in recognition.

“Lord Hades, I meant no disrespect—” The god waves his hand dismissively.

“I’m not offended. I understand poets take ‘creative license’, or so I am told. I am curious though why you are so quick to cast assertions on my relationship and supposed lack of love for my husband. I can assure you I love him very much.”

“Uh, I’m sure you do, Lord Hades.” The god waves his hand again.

“Logan is fine,” he corrects easily. “Lord Hades is just for the workers down below. Intimidation is a powerful motivator as I’m sure you know.” Roman nods slowly, thinking the god is plenty intimidating regardless of what he calls himself. “Any way, I don’t need your apologies or platitudes. I truly am curious. What exactly do you know about love, and what makes you so certain I am unfamiliar with the emotion?”

Roman swallows nervously, looking for the answer that won’t offend the god.

“Well,” he begins carefully, “you are rumoured to be a god who values logic and reason.” The god—Logan—nods.

“That is correct. Emotions tend to be messy and complicated. Logic, however, is dependable.”

“And your husband, well…he is known for his…emotional whims,” Roman says as delicately as he can. To his surprise, the god nods again.

“That is also correct. Patton is easily swayed by his emotions and is prone to illogical acts.”

“So, you could see why you two would be such an unlikely match.” Logan frowns and Roman’s heart stops.

“You believe relationships can only be successful if the two partners share multiple traits, making them an ideal match? That is unusual for a poet, is it not?”

“I think anyone can fall in love with anyone,” Roman corrects emphatically.

“You just believe someone like me could not fall in love with Patton? Or do you think Patton could not fall in love with someone like me?”

“No?”

“No? You seem uncertain. Please speak freely.” Roman rubs at the back of his neck. This is not how he thought his afternoon was going to go.

“Fine, I’m surprised that someone as cold and devoted to logic as you could fall in love with someone as warm and emotional as Persephone.” Logan raises an eyebrow and almost smiles.

“I see you are no longer worried about offending me.” Roman flushes slightly but holds his ground.

“No, I’m not.”

“Interesting. Tell me, poet, have you ever fallen in love with someone different from you? Someone who, in many ways, is your opposite?”

Roman sees Virgil so clearly in his mind, holding Roman close yet watching the coming clouds with tension in his body. He looks away, unable to hold the god’s gaze. He hears the god laugh lightly.

“You men are not so different from the gods. Falling in love with those who can never love you back.” Roman bristles and glares at the god.

“You don’t anything about me.”

“Really?” Logan raises an eyebrow, in mock confusion. “You aren’t pinning for a runaway, too busy watching the clouds to give his heart to you?”

Roman flinches and can’t find the words to deny it. Logan laughs again, and now it’s cruel and mocking.

“I was a young man once. I remember singing that song of love, and I remember being left behind, just like you.”

“He hasn’t left me,” Roman protests, the words weak to his own ears.

“Not yet,” Logan concedes, “but he will. They always leave. People like your runaway, like my husband.”

“You said you love your husband.”

“That doesn’t mean he loves me as much as I love him,” Logan says dismissively. “That doesn’t mean I’m blinded to the way things are. Patton is fickle and comes back to me because I have things he needs. I’ve shackled him from wrist to wrist with sterling silver bracelets, figuratively of course.” Roman rolls his eyes.

“I know you meant figuratively.”

“I can offer him something more than _love_. Do you have anything more to offer?”

“No,” Roman admits quietly and hangs his head. Logan is silent but Roman can feel his cold and calculating eyes.

“I suppose that is to be expected,” he says at last. “The fates clearly have their hands on you both, and I see no reason for you to resist their pull, figuratively of course. There is, as far as I can see, no reason for him to stay with you. You should end things now.”

“What?” Roman whips his head up quickly and gives the god a confused look. “What do you mean end things now?”

“Is that not the expression? When you have completed a relationship and no longer wish for it to continue, you “end things”, yes? You should do that now.”

“Why would I do that?!” Logan gives an impatient huff.

“I just told you why. This relationship has come to a conclusion so—”

“So nothing!” Roman interrupts passionately. “That doesn’t mean I don’t love him! That doesn’t mean I want him gone! I want him for as long as he’ll let me have him!”

“Really?”

“Yes, really! Don’t you want Persephone for as long as you can have him? Don’t you long for the winters when you hold him in your arms again?” Roman begins to pace, working himself into a frenzy. “I know I have nothing to offer Virgil, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish I could give him the world. I know he will only come to me at night, but that doesn’t mean I don’t spend the days missing him. I know he’s not as affectionate as I am, but that doesn’t mean I don’t crave every hug and kiss and touch he gives. I know he’ll never say he loves me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel his love when he looks at me. And I know Virgil is going to leave me one day, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to spend everyday convincing him to stay!”

He pants as he stares down the god, challenge and defiance and desperation in his eyes.

“I love Virgil and I believe when you love someone, you fight for them. No matter how hopeless, the Fates be damned.”

Logan looks at him, appraising. No, not Logan. Not the man. The god. The _god_ looks over him, eyes careful and measured.

“I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?”

Roman raises his chin and meets his gaze.

“I guess we will. Now, if you’ll excuse me—” Roman slings his lyre over his shoulder and turns “—I have a performance.”

He heads to the bar briskly, ignoring the eyes following him and his pounding heart.

***

Logan watches the poet walk away with mild interest. The boy is nearly shaking—after all, it takes quite a bit of courage to turn your back on a god, and even more to turn your back on the King of the Underworld.

There is a weight on his shoulder and a smug whisper in his ear.

“Well?”

Logan smiles slightly and glances at his husband.

“They’re odd, I will admit. But if the runaway has even half as much conviction as the poet, then things could get interesting.”

“You like them,” Patton insists. “You’re rooting for them, aren’t you?”

“It’s unwise to bet against the gods. And unwiser still to bet against the Fates.”

“But….?”

Logan rolls his eyes, but indulges his husband.

“But it would be satisfactory if they could do what Orpheus and Eurydice could not.”

_Please let them do what they could not._

**Author's Note:**

> hey i'm back! hope you guys enjoyed this instalment. i'm thinking one more addition minimum, so stay tuned friends :)


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